The 1992 Score Superstar set is widely considered one of the most iconic and valuable baseball card releases of all time. Issued amid baseball’s resurgence in popularity following a cancellation of the 1994 World Series, these cards captured the sport’s golden era and featured some of the games true superstars at the peak of their powers. While no set is without its share of common players, the 1992 Score Superstar release differs in featuring almost exclusively household names that any baseball fan of the era would instantly recognize. Nearly 30 years later, these cards remain a showcase of the talented stars that defined and popularized the game throughout the 1990s.
The set consists of 108 total cards issued in wax packs and factory sets. Ranging in number from 1 to 108, each card depicts a different major league player in action photography from the 1991 or 1992 seasons. What made this particular release especially unique was Score’s decision to only feature players they designated as true “Superstars” of the game at that time. This resulted in very few players with less than 5 years of MLB experience being included. The overwhelming majority had established themselves as perennial All-Stars, award winners, franchise cornerstones or future Hall of Famers. Some of the premier names that immediately stand out include Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Bonds, Roberto Alomar, Wade Boggs, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, Cal Ripken Jr, Ryne Sandberg and Mike Piazza.
In terms of coveted rookie and early career stars, the set also features the rookie cards or among some of the very earliest issue cards for players like Paul Molitor, Darryl Strawberry, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell, Jimmy Key, David Cone, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Dave Justice. The high concentration of talent, star power and iconic players from the late 1980s and early 1990s is undoubtedly a large reason why 1992 Score Superstar remains such a cherished set to this day by collectors. With so much history, performance and memorable moments packed into this single release, it’s easy to understand its enduring popularity and high demand market.
When it comes to individual card values, there are predictable standouts and surprises. Home run king Barry Bonds’ card has maintained strong value as one of his earliest mainstream issued cards. Near mint to mint condition examples regularly sell in the $100-plus range given his all-time great career stats and iconic status. Likewise, Ken Griffey Jr’s #1 card is always in high demand due to his fan favorite personality and electrifying play that made him one of the top stars of the 1990s. Mint Griffey rookies can reach upwards of $200-300 dependent on market conditions.
Meanwhile, Hall of Fame inductees like Joe DiMaggio, Mike Schmidt and Nolan Ryan who were still active in the early 90s fetch $50-100 for their cards in top shape as well. Rookie and early 80s stars like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr. and Greg Maddux tend to hold steady values of $30-75. Beyond obvious stars, there are still plenty of useful role players and underrated talents that maintain $10-25 values due to their place in baseball history. Examples are Don Baylor, David Cone, Dave Stewart, Bret Saberhagen, Frank Viola and Darren Daulton.
More surprisingly, the highest valued cards in the entire 1992 Score Superstar set actually belong to Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Charles Nagy and Philadelphia Phillies reliever Larry Andersen. Nagy’s pristine #34 rookie card recently sold for a staggering $485 online in January 2022 amid growing popularity. This is largely due to his ultra- scarce Pull Tab parallel variation only available in factory sets. Likewise, Andersen’s #75 card has reached $350-450 territory when graded mint or higher by PSA. This can be explained by his equally rare Pull Tab parallel and cult demand from Phillies collectors seeking one of their bullpen workhorses from the early 90s glory years.
While a couple outlier cards might top overall value, the 1992 Score Superstar baseball set remains highly collectible and affordable across the board for the sheer concentration of stars, history and memories it represents from baseball’s renaissance period. Even common players hold nostalgic appeal. The modern resurgence of the hobby has only increased enthusiasm and pricing on the whole. With so much inherent star power and few true “commons”, the set created almost three decades ago has stood the test of time. Add in the occasional surprise valuations, and 1992 Score Superstar is a classic release that any serious collector would be eager to own.
